Sylvia's Chronicles
by spiritworldwarrior
Summary: As an unsuspecting Pachirisu by the name of Sylvia rejoins her friends to perform at her beloved circus, she soon learns that not all is as it seems. Join Sylvia and her friends on a journey to save the world, or die trying.
1. Chapter 1

High in the treetops of Santalune Forest, a small Pachirisu lay snuggled between the branches of an enormous oak tree, laying so still that her soft, gentle breaths were the only indication that she was even alive.

Slowly, as the sun began to rise, the squirrel-like Pokemon was awakened from her peaceful slumber. The Pachirisu let out a mighty yawn, and began her day like she always did, grooming the soft coating of fur that adorned her humongous tail.

As she dutifully groomed her fluffy coat, the Pachirisu witnessed the majesty of Santalune forest spread out all around her. Riding the morning gale, a swarm of Vivillon flapped their multi-coloured wings, flying over the canopy of the forest in search of food. Far down below, two Breloom led a group of Shroomish through the dense undergrowth of the forest, while a pair of Amoonguss feasted on a bushel of berries.

Once she felt clean enough, the Pachirisu launched herself from her branch, and nimbly hopped onto a neighboring one. With the agility of a seasoned tree climber, the Pachirisu jumped from branch to branch, using her tail to help maintain her balance. As she traveled through the trees, she nicked Oran berries from the tips of tree limbs and expertly stuffed them into her tail, mid-leap.

Finally, through an opening in the dense wall of leaves, the Electric Pokemon caught a glimpse of the reason she had made the week long trek through the forest. A giant outdoor circus was set up near the outskirts of Santalune city. An enormous red circus tent was erect on the ground, topped off with a red flag embroidered in gold, waving proudly from a sturdy metal pole.

As she gracefully leaped from the final tree, the Pachirisu could hear the loud whooshes and booms of what could only be circus Pokemon practicing their act. She landed on the roof of the tent with a small bounce, causing small ripples across the surface of the tent as it absorbed the impact of her descent. She leaned forward and slid down off the top, and leaped over the edge, performing a backflip worthy of an acrobat as she landed firmly on the ground. " _Finally_ ," she thought as she entered the tent.

What she witnessed inside took her breath away.

The first thing she noticed was a Beautifly and Butterfree pair circling one another, both encased in a shimmering display of a Sweet Scent attack. The Bug/Flying Pokemon flapped their beautiful wings in sync, creating gusts of air that they used to expertly manipulate the Sweet Scent into a whirlwind of beauty and aroma.

On the ground, a Gardevoir's eyes glowed a brilliant sapphire, as she used Psychic to manipulate a Signal Beam from her partner, an Ampharos. With a mighty leap, the Ampharos twirled over the Gardevoir, as she used the Signal Beam akin to a ribbon, twirled to created a marvelous spectacle.

Towards the edge of the tent, an Infernape, Luvdisc and Meganium were lazily sprawled over the hard dirt. Hard ground was ideal for performances, as it was leveled and firm, aiding the performers in their acrobatics, and it allowed for a secure placement of trampolines and such. However, it made for a poor place to relax, and the resting Pokemon were constantly shifting their bodies in order to make the most of it.

"Hey guys!" the eager Pachirisu yelled while racing towards them. They were her long-time friends, and the Pachirisu would always tag along to perform only during the Kalos segment of the circus' annual world tour. Pachirisu giggled as her friends tried to determine the whereabout of the greeting. She jumped high in the air and laughed as she landed on the head of an unsuspecting Infernape. He let out a soft grunt of surprise and reached up to gently grab the small of Pachirisu off of his head.

"Sylvia!" He exclaimed, "what a pleasure it is to see you again! I was afraid you would abandon us this year. That would have broken my old heart." The Infernape feigned a sniffle and pouted his bottom lip in a display of an exaggerated heartbreak. Sylvia simply rolled her eyes. "You do this every year, Seb. Making me feel bad about how emotionally unstable you are is not going to make me join you in a cramped tour bus." The Pokemon let out a hearty chuckle as the other performers began to gather around them.

Sebastian, the Infernape, was a tall and handsome Pokemon. He was the only one out of any of his comrades that was ever trained by a human, thus making him most knowledgeable and powerful amongst his friends. "Sylvia, how have you been?" the Gardevoir, Ophelia, asked. She was as talented as she was beautiful, and walked with a confidence and grace that reminded Sylvia of why Ophelia was the lead Pokemon of the traveling circus. The psychic type slowly lowered her long white hand and gently scratched the top of Sylvia's head. "Oh, that hit's the spot. You always know exactly where I need a good scratch."

From above, the Butterfree (Lily) and the Beautifly (Jessica) gently descended to greet their little friend. Their wings still shimmering with the remnants of Sweet Scent, they encased Sylvia with their wings in a shallow attempt to embrace her.

Jessica was the first to speak,"Sylvia! Gurl, you look bigger... I mean, not like, _fatter_ bigger, but like...buffer. Wait no, I mean cuter. Well, to be honest, you have always been kind of cute, not that think about you in that way cause- " the Beautifly was abruptly caught off by her companion.

"What she is trying to say is, it's nice to see you again," Lily shyly whispered. Lily was not much of a talker. She only ever spoke if she really had to, and usually it was whenever Jessica's chatty mouth could not form a proper sentence. "Oh my gosh, thanks Lil, you always know exactly what I'm trying to say!"

"I'm also the only one who can stand you for longer than five minutes," the Butterfree muttered so that only Sylvia could hear. She burst into a fit of giggles, while Ophelia sneezed through a face full of Sweet Scent with as much grace as she could muster.

Before any of her friends could continue with their bombardment of questions, Sylvia nimbly jumped out of Sebastian's arms and landed on the floor. She fervently shook her tail. Out popped the Oran berries Sylvia had gathered en route to the circus. "Oh my God! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Valentina, the heart-shaped Luvdisc exclaimed with a little excessive gratitude. "I was so hungry! Honestly guys, we need better management, because those humans feed us literally, like, once a week!" She finished her rant with a generous bite out her Oran berry.

"Val, you need to chill, we ate less than an hour ago," Megan, the Meganium, muffled through a mouthful of berry. "I don't even understand where all of the food goes in your tiny body."

Valentina indignantly rose and levitated to meet the height of Megan's long, green neck. "How many times do I have to tell you, I eat a lot before shows because I get nervous, okay." She jerked her tiny frame away from Megan and proceeded to continue chomping on her berry.

Megan snorted "Yeah, you also become extremely annoying, have mood swings, and find it very difficult to shut up."

Mid-bite, Val jerked her tiny frame to face the towering Meganium and shot a stream of concentrated water straight at Megan's face. Before the attack could hit its mark, Megan tilted her long neck to the side, nimbly evading the jet of water. Val's face was decorated with a vicious sneer, as she taunted Megan to make the next move.

"Oh, now you're asking for it," Megan growled. She opened her jaw, where an Energy Ball brilliantly illuminated into existence, before being launched straight towards the Luvdisc.

Valentina counterattacked with a powerful Ice Beam. Her lips were encased in a blue light, and she shot a beam of freezing blue energy straight towards the incoming projectile. They collided with an explosion that sent poor Arnold hurtling away, who as of now, had yet to even bite into his precious berry.

" _Enough!_ " Ophelia yelled. Using Psychic she levitated the quarreling Pokemon high into the air, and then sent them flying to the ground with a loud crash. "You two are insufferable! Is it really too much to ask for more than one minute of peaceful silence in this circus!"

Megan and Valentina slowly rose from the ground, their eyes unfocused and dizzy after the impact. After sheepishly apologizing to Ophelia, who still looked as if she was ready to kill the both of them, both Pokemon warily returned to their snacks.

Sylvia chuckled. She missed her crazy group of friends, and not for the first time, considered becoming a permanent member of the circus. After spending so much time in solitude, she very nearly forgot what it felt like to be around company that she enjoyed. Every year her friends would ask her to stay, and every year came the same reply. "I'd be really honored guys," she'd say, "but the way you live your lives is too much for me. I'm a forest Pokemon after all!" Sometimes she honestly felt guilty for denying the offer, after what her friends had done for her. Sylvia first encountered the circus about five years ago. She had badly injured her foot, and was struggling in her search for comfort from the pain. At the time, Ophelia was outside taking a break. She noticed Sylvia trying to head to Santalune City, in an attempt to reach the Pokemon Center. Ophelia kindly offered her help, by carrying Sylvia inside the tent. Valentina provided some ice for relief, and slowly the injured limb began to heal. As Sylvia was recovering, she made friends with the members of the circus. As they practiced, she would often join in, and eventually the humans saw her potential. She was invited to join the Kalos segment of the tour by her new found friends, and readily agreed. Ever since then, she has always took part in a small fraction of the tour, claiming that the life of a full time performer was just too much for her.

After all the Pokemon had caught up, it was time for practice. As a forest dweller, Sylvia's lifestyle dictated a strong physique and proficient maneuverability. She was perfectly at home performing complex aerial routines, and her electrical abilities were a huge asset to the team.

While she was practicing her new routine, Sylvia caught a glimpse of what seemed to be a sparkling blue wristband on Arnold, the Ampharos' wrist. After closer inspection, she realized that it was actually a watch. It had a small screen attached to blue straps that were hugging the wrist. Everyone was wearing the exact same thing. Sylvia was confused, but her practicing was so intense that she didn't remember to ask anyone.

The hours flew by, and before she realized it, Sylvia was drenched in sweat. Each breath she took was loud and heaving. Her companions were in no better in condition, they all lay on the hard ground, eyes shut in what could only be a deep sleep. It took all the strength she had to get up and head out of the tent for a drink, her muscles screaming with the effort.

She lapped the stale water the circus master left in a large bowl outside the tent with a zealous ferocity. " _Is it too much to ask for a fresh cold drink?"_ she glumly thought. Her grumbling stomach did not fail to remind the exhausted Pokemon that she hadn't eaten anything since early morning. Lazily, she made her way towards a small van near the human tent. The back window was left open, probably by mistake, and Sylvia seized the opportunity. She climbed slowly through the opening, and plopped down with a loud thud, wincing at the sound. She was in no mood to deal with any kind of human interaction. Anyone foolish enough to mess with Sylvia in her current state would receive a faceful of electricity.

Through the darkness, she sniffed out a bag of Pokefood. She used her long, sharp front teeth to make an incision at the top of the bag, stuffing her head inside the packet. While she munched on her long overdue dinner, Sylvia admired the beauty of the night sky. Twinkling stars stood side by side to form massive constellations, and the moon illuminated the night with its faint reflection of the sun's light. Slowly, the Pokemon began to nod off. As her eyes started to close, Sylvia's head shot up. "Not here, dammit!" She spoke to herself. With a grunt, she pushed herself off of the van floor, and made her way back to Santalune forest. Sylvia was settling in a tree branch, when all of a sudden, she heard movement near the tent.

Wearily, she raised her head and saw the rough outlines of a group of Crobat, making their way towards the circus tent. " _What are they doing here?"_ Sylvia thought. It seemed as if someone had sucked the weariness out of here, as she curiously gazed towards the Pokemon. Fully evolved Pokemon were not as common in the wild, as the necessary strength and training that is required is primarily provided by a skilled trainer. Crobat were also very rarely found outside of the caves that they called home, so Sylvia was especially intrigued to see what business they had here. Beneath them, a dozen or so Seviper were menacingly slithering across the ground. All of the invaders were headed towards the same destination; the tent.

Sylvia silently climbed down from her tree, and quietly watched from the relative safety of the forest. Right before her eyes, the intruders began their attack. The Crobat let loose a barrage of Sludge Bomb on the tent, disintegrating it, eliciting the surprised screams of the Pokemon inside. The Seviper leaped inside, baring their large red fangs.

Sylvia immediately dashed from her hiding spot, and raced towards the attacking Pokemon. " _What the hell is going on?"_ She exclaimed. One of the Crobat noticed her getting closer, and broke off from the group in order to intercept her. With blinding speed, it raced towards the little squirrel Pokemon, and let loose a glowing crescent of wind. Sylvia's tail became encased in a metallic aura and she spun around, using a powerful Iron Tail to deflect the attack. Then, she leaped high into the air, and before the Crobat could attack again, she used her downwards momentum to smash an Iron Tail attack on the Crobat. It was pelted to the ground with a sickening crunch, and Sylvia winced as she heard the Pokemon hit the ground. However, there was no time to help the fallen creature.

With the tent gone, Sylvia had a clear view of all her friends fighting for their lives. She nimbly dodged a Poison Fang from a menacing Seviper, and recoiled with a crackling Thunder Punch to the back of it's head. Together, her friends had formed a defensive line launching an array of attacks at the intruders. However, the circus Pokemon were at an obvious disadvantage. The attacking Pokemon used their numbers, sending attack after attack.

"We won't last much longer out here!" Sebastian exclaimed. He was simultaneously battling two Seviper and a Crobat, using an array of physical moves to hold off his attackers. "Ophelia!"

"I'm on it!" Ophelia yelled. She used her mastery of telekinesis to violently shove all of her companions towards her. Quickly, the circus Pokemon reached out one of their limbs to firmly grasp onto Ophelia. In a flash of green light, all of the circus Pokemon found themselves surrounded by the tall trees and lush greenery of Santalune Forest.

Heavily panting, more from exhilaration than exhaustion, Sylvia turned to survey the condition of her friends. Fortunately, none of them suffered any major injuries, except for Luvdisc's pride. She had been attacked by 3 simultaneous Thunder Fangs, and was about to obliterate the three Seviper before being unflatteringly hurled towards Ophelia. Jessica was literally holding her back with a thick ribbon of string, as the infuriated water-type tried to force her way back to the fight. "HOW DARE THOSE LOWLIFE IMBECILES LAY THEIR FANGS ON ME! I WILL TEAR THE FLESH OFF OF THEIR BONES AND LEAVE THEIR CORPSES TO ROT AND-." She was abruptly cut off with a faceful of silk. "Girl, you need to chill," Jessica said.

"I didn't send us that far off, maybe half a kilometer at most, so we need to move." Ophelia spoke, calm and graceful as ever. "They were definitely sent to eliminate us."

"I agree," Sebastian said. "If we move fast we will be able to make it to the edge of Santalune Forest by night fall. I just contacted the Expedition Society and they have made arrangements for us at a nearby base."

Megan let out a sigh. "I was really hoping that we could pull off this circus charade for a couple more years. It was pretty fun while it lasted, I guess."

"Yeah… man this sucks" Arnold exclaimed.

While the "circus" Pokemon mourned the loss of their circus lives, they seemed to have completely forgotten Sylvia, who simply stared at them with utter confusion written all over her face. When her baffled expression elicited no response, she obnoxiously cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry, but in case any of of you have not noticed, I don't know what the hell is going on. I wouldn't mind receiving an explanation. "

Suddenly, as if having woken from a dream, all of the Pokemon jerked their heads towards their enraged comrade. Sylvia did not wait for their reply.

She turned her accusing gaze to Sebastian first, "What exactly is this 'Expedition Society'? And where exactly is this 'base'? Who-"

She was abruptly cut off by Megan. "Sylvia, wait. We're sorry we had to leave you in the dark for so long, but it was for the best, trust me. We don't have time to talk about this right now, we need to move "

Sylvia opened her mouth to argue, but as if to prove Megan's point, two Crobat appeared over their patch of forest. The group of Pokemon instantly ran for for cover as the Corbat used their four wings to descend into to the forest with eerie silence.


	2. Chapter 2

Sylvia crouched tensely in the crook of a branch. She had been quick enough to find refuge in a tall tree, and she watched warily as the Crobat separated, scanning the shrubbery for their quarry. Sylvia knew it was only a matter of time before they were discovered. From her vantage point, she could locate one of the Crobat, hovering inches away from Arnold, who had hurriedly concealed himself behind an Oran Berry bush.

 _It's now or never,_ she thought. As she pounced from her branch, her fangs grew to an enormous length, and she sliced the Super Fang attack across the unsuspecting Crobat. It was catapulted to the floor on impact and screeched in pain. Sylvia wasted no time and charged her fist with crackling electricity. She dashed towards her target with breakneck speed. However, the Crobat was faster. It launched itself into the air and bombarded Sylvia with Sludge Bomb attacks. Using her momentum, she leaped into the cover of the dense treetops to avoid the corrosive sludge.

 _Oh God, that was close,_ she thought. She extinguished the glowing electricity from her fist, and slowly crept through the leafy branches, careful not to make a sound. Before she could resume her attack, the Crobat suddenly became encased in a powerful stream of electricity. It let out an enraged and painful shriek as its body tumbled towards the ground. As Sylvia processed what she just witnessed, Arnold cautiously creeped out from behind his bush. Realizing that it had been Arnold who had attacked the Bat-Pokemon, Sylvia called out to him.

"Is it still conscious?" She asked. _Or alive, for that matter,_ she thought. Despite Sylvia's status as a wild Pokemon, she rarely took the life of other creatures. Her diet played a large role in this, but it was also her respect for the sacred blessing of life. She did not take pleasure in ending the life of another Pokemon, no matter the reason.

From below, Sylvia watched with half-hearted amusement as Arnold prodded the unconscious Pokemon with the orb on his tail. "All clear Sylvie!" He called back. Satisfied with his response, she jumped down from her perch, purposefully landing on her comrade's yellow head.

"Ouch!" He exclaimed.

"Oops," she sarcastically remarked. She let out a soft giggle, which instantly faded when she turned her attention towards the Crobat.

"Umm… so do we just leave it here, or…," she trailed off, unable to finish her train of thought.

"Don't worry," Arnold replied, amused at Sylvia's concern, "the minute it regains consciousness, it'll be after us again. We need to regroup and start to put some distance between us and our attackers."

With that, Arnold abruptly turned and made his way back to where the group was resting before the assault. Sylvia leaped off of his head and followed after him through the shrubbery. Sure enough, everyone else was already there waiting for the both of them.

"Oh, thank the heavens!" Ophelia gasped as the two stragglers rejoined the group. "I thought something dreadful had happened to the both of you!"

"Yeah, what took you so long?" Megan jokingly sneered, "Couldn't handle a little Crobat?"

"Oh please," Sylvia retorted, "We both know you were the first one to hide the second you laid eyes on the 'little Crobat'"

Megan shrugged off the retort with a chuckle, and everyone's attention was turned to Sebastian, who had just very loudly cleared his throat.

"Alright everyone, now that we have regrouped, it is time to move onwards. This encounter will be the first of many if we are not careful." He turned his head to look at Ophelia. "Do you think you could manage to teleport us to the base's location?"

Ophelia looked down, refusing to make eye contact. This was the only sign she ever showed of being embarrassed.

 _She's gorgeous even when she's embarrassed,_ Sylvia thought in awe. She had always envied Ophelia's grace and beauty, and the little Pachirisu was not the only one that noticed this. There had been many attempts by infatuated male Pokemon to woo Ophelia, however, none were successful. It was common knowledge to the crew that Ophelia was as particular as she was beautiful.

"It pains me to say it, but I lack the strength to transport all of us to the base. I fear we must walk a good deal closer before I can attempt another teleportation."

Sebastian gave her an understanding smile. "Don't take it to heart, my friend. We have all taken a toll from today's events."

"You can say that again," Valentina murmured. Her pride was still wounded, although the drenched Crobat that lay nearby did give her some solace. As Valentina always says, "Never underestimate the power of a well aimed Hydro Pump. _Never._ "

Slowly but the surely the ex-performers made their way forwards. Arnold offered to use his tail as a light source, but the idea was rejected by the others. That would be a beacon to their pursuers, and the group needed to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Sylvia took the lead with Infernape, who apparently knew where he was going.

She opened her mouth to ask the questions she had yet to receive answers to, but before she could form a word, she clamped it shut. If there was one thing Sylvia had learned from the mighty Infernape, it was patience and discipline. _You'll get your answers in time,_ she scolded herself.

Unbeknownst to Sylvia, Sebastian had already sensed her discomfort. He knew she wanted answers, and he believed it was her right to receive them.

"I suppose you-"

But before he finished his sentence, Sylvia let out a tiny shriek and catapulted into the air. " _What the hell Sebastian!"_ she shrieked in a whisper. "You can't _do_ things like that!"

"Oh my God, Oh my God, Sylvia! Sylvia! Gurl! Oh mah Gawd, she's dead, she's dead, she's dead! Wh-" Jessica was abruptly cut off by Lilly,

"Please calm down, Jessica. Sylvia is right there." She gestured towards Sylvia, who was now perched on top of Sebastian's head, fur standing on end.

"Oh, oops. Sorry guys, I'm just really nervous. Honestly, this stress is so bad for my wings. UGGH." Jessica finished her rant by obnoxiously flapping her wings, while Sylvia finally relaxed, and dismounted from her perch,

"Okay, I'm fine now, but next time a warning would be nice," she said. Sebastian let out an amused chuckle. "As I was saying, you probably have a lot of questions on your mind. I may not be able to answer all of them now, but let us start with the basics."

"We are part of an organization called the Expedition Society. It was originally started in a small village called Lively Town by an Ampharos and his faithful comrades. They enlisted the aid of skilled Pokemon who were devoted to the cause of exploration, and of helping others. The Expedition Society faced great hardships from the very beginning, having to subdue a great evil that threatened to destroy our very existence."

This piqued Sylvia's curiosity. "What kind of evil?" she asked.

"You will find out in due time. However, _our_ time is limited, so let us continue. After their success in protecting our world, the Expedition Society quickly started to expand. A main headquarters was established in every region, along with smaller miscellaneous headquarters scattered across the globe. Word of the heroes quickly spread, and all sorts of Pokemon wished to pledge their allegiance to the group."

"The Ampharos, who goes by the name of Dorphius, decided to establish an entrance examination, consisting of a physical, oral, and mental component. This allowed the Society to accept members that were truly devoted to the cause of helping others."

"Did all you of you guys have to do one?" Sylvia inquired.

"Why of course! In fact, I was one of the first Pokemon to take the examination." Sebastian let out a longing sigh, "I remember it like it was yesterday. I was so nervous that I almost burned off my own hand! Can you imagine? A Fire-type burning himself! Anyway, I digress. Alongside our mission to help distressed Pokemon, we are also tasked with the challenge of completing the Pokemon Nexus."

Sylvia opened her mouth to ask what the Nexus was, but Sebastian beat her to it.

"The Pokemon Nexus," he continued, "is an enormous map of the world. It was created by Dorphius, due, in part, to his immense love for travel. However, it also serves a practical purpose."

Sebastian lifted his wrist and gestured to his watch. The screen lit up, displaying an enormous holographic map. Sylvia's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Is that a map of the entire world!" She asked, her face glowing in awe of the holographic wonder. Sebastian chuckled softly. "As much as we have documented, my dear. You see this orb?"

Sebastian pointed to a small blue dome situated at the top of the watch. Through the blue glow of the watch, Sylvia could see that it was the same dark blue tone as the gadget. She observed with fascination as her comrade used the tip of his finger to firmly press down on the dome. She heard a satisfying click, and out popped the orb.

"This is known as a connection orb. Mind you, the original model was absolutely humongous, almost ten times the size of this one! This allows the members of the Expedition Society to sync the data of the Nexus with our watches so that we can access the map." He pointed to the watch again, except now it had lost its holographic map. Instead, the watch simply displayed an empty blue screen. He reinserted the orb with the same satisfying click, and the map returned, it's hologram erupting out of the screen. "No orb, no map," he stated simply.

Sylvia was astounded, to say the least. Her limited interaction with humans meant her exposure to technology was just as restricted, if not less. How this Society had gotten a hold of such advance technology was beyond her. She looked at the blue map once more, its hologram reflecting onto her inquisitive eyes.

"What else can this thing do?" she asked, her eyes glued to the technological wonder before her.

Sebastian was about to answer her question, but he stopped short. In fact, he stopped altogether. His comrades followed suit, sensing that something was off. During their conversation, Sylvia had eagerly clambered into Sebastian's palm to get a better view of the watch. She nimbly leaped out of Infernape's hand, landing in the soft grass.

She had also sensed the danger. Her nose twitched, while her ears fidgeted from side to side, trying to pick out the slightest sound from the dark undergrowth.

 _Any second now,_ she thought. And sure enough, the danger came. Six Seviper launched themselves from the shadows, lunging at the group with fangs dripping with deadly poison. They were followed by seven Crobat, shooting out of the canopy above, launching crescents of wind at their targets below.

Sylvia and the Society members held their ground, intercepting the oncoming attackers with moves of their own. Sylvia had collided head-on with one of the descending Crobat, using a Thunder Punch to counter it's Poison Fang. Both Pokemon were hurled into opposite directions, painfully colliding into oak trees.

The commotion of the ambush had not gone unnoticed. Sylvia watched as a Furret mother shepherded her young Sentret to the safety of a burrow, while a flock of Hoot Hoot scattered at the sight of the threat.

The Squirrel-Pokemon had her own troubles. The combined weariness of the earlier battles and the brutal circus practice she had partaken in were showing. She had barely managed to recover from the previous attack when she was assaulted again by the same Crobat. It flew into her at top speed, launching her into a leafy, berry covered bush. Sylvia cried out in agony as it's sharp branches dug into her fur.

 _Damn it,_ she thought wearily. With a groan, she pushed herself out of the bush, now just a pile of leaves, branches and squashed berries. The Crobat was not far behind. It had begun to charge a sphere of shadowy energy between its wings and launched the Shadow Ball towards Sylvia. She hurriedly opened her toothed jaw and launched a glowing seed shaped sphere at the oncoming attack. The moves collided with a bone shattering explosion, and Sylvia used the distraction to quickly dash behind the trunk of a large tree. She leaned her body against its wide frame, and heaved with exhaustion, knowing very well that she would not last much longer against the agile Crobat. With the last of her strength, she quietly climbed up the back of the tree, using a large, leaf covered branch as a refuge.

She looked down from between her leafy eutopia and caught a glimpse of Jessica expertly using a ribbon of string to fasten together the wings of an attacking Crobat. Behind Jessica, Arnold had conjured humongous cotton spheres and used them to defend himself from the constricting embrace of two Seviper. _What am I supposed to do?_ Sylvia thought in desperation. _I could run,_ she thought, _if I am fast enough I could escape without a trace._ But the thought was expunged from her mind as soon as it came.

 _There is no chance in hell that you will ever leave your friends._ Her mental scolding was quickly interrupted by the sound of whooshing air. Sylvia realized in horror that she had been discovered by the Crobat, and it had sent a powerful Air Slash to slice her branch off of the tree. She cried out in sheer desperation as she plummeted towards the forest floor along with the severed branch.

"Help me! Someone, please!"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three**_

 _Sylvia carefully trotted behind her parents through the forest treetops. Every so often, she sent nervous glances behind her, an extra precaution to ensure they were not being shadowed by a potential attacker. Her parents had led her to the very depths of Santalune Forest on a foraging trip. Normally, she would have stayed behind, but her father had finally deemed her old enough to accompany them on their monthly journey. When she heard the news, she was ecstatic. Finally, a chance to explore more of her forest home!_

 _Now that she was nervously following her parents through the leafy branches of the forest canopy, she was far more apprehensive than she was thrilled._

 _Her mother turned her white-furred head, and offered her daughter a sympathetic smile. "Come on sweetie, we're not that far away." Sylvia returned the smile, encouraged by her mother's promise. She silently crept along, grimacing at the slightest sound. The trio were headed to a feeding ground that was well known by all of the forest Pokemon, consisting of a single, immense tree that towered over every other structure in the forest. For this reason it was rightly named, "The Heart of the Forest," by the forest dwellers. It produced special fruit that ripened only once a month, and Pokemon travelled far and wide to make the most of nature's delicious buffet._

 _At long last, the tree climbing trio had arrived. Sylvia's eyes expanded with wonder as she witnessed the glory of the immense tree. It was the largest thing she had ever see, rising at least a hundred feet into the air. It's branches erupted outwards in all directions, like hundreds of leafed limbs reaching out in an embrace to the surrounding forest. Sylvia turned her head skyward, and marvelled at the huge swarms of Bug-Pokemon soaring through the clouds. Her father tilted his head to survey his daughter's condition, and chuckled when he saw Sylvia emulate the same astounded expression he wore many years ago._

 _Sylvia's father stopped moving and gently settled at the edge of a large branch. Her mother situated herself beside him, and Sylvia snuggled in between them._

" _This tree has been here for longer than any of us can remember," her father said, "It has provided countless Pokemon with food and shelter for centuries. However, there is an old legend surrounding the tree. Only a few Pokemon know of this story, so listen carefully, Sylvia." The young Pachirisu's eyes opened wide with anticipation as she focused her undivided attention to her father._

" _Not long ago, their was a young Pokemon that was travelling through the forest. He was on his own, and was using the forest as a short cut. Unfortunately for the traveller, he had gotten desperately lost. For three days, he wandered the forest, crying to anyone and anything, begging for help, On his third night, the weary traveller was ambushed by some of the forest Pokemon. They stole his food, and left a deep wound in his side-"_

 __" _Oh no! Daddy, did he die?! Please, I hope he doesn't die!" Sylvia yelped in anguish. Sylvia's mother embraced her daughter with her large tail. "Now sweetie, let your daddy finish his story." Sylvia gave a small nod, and her father resumed, but not after sending a warm smile to his daughter._

" _The dying traveller dragged himself by the roots of a gargantuan tree," he continued, "and silently wept, begging for help as his life slowly ebbed away. Suddenly, he was caught in a blinding flash of light, and he could feel a kind of warmth fill his entire being. When the light had vanished, the Pokemon looked down, and to his utter astonishment, noticed that his wound had been completely healed. A small plant started to grow at his feet, and he watehed with fascination as it erupted into a bush, bursting with succulent Oran Berries. The Pokemon looked up to witness the majesty of Xerneas, the Life Pokemon. It had massive horns with magnificent glowing protrusions, and was the most graceful thing the traveller had ever seen. 'Young traveller,' it spoke, 'you have suffered immensely. I have come here to offer you solace. This majestic tree that is stretched out above you yields the power of nature. It will keep you safe, as it has done for many others for countless generations.' And with that, Xerneas left, bounding into the forest. No one has ever seen Xerneas again to this day, but the Tree of Life has remains standing tall and proud ever since."_

 _Sylvia returned her gaze to the massive tree. "Daddy, do you think I will ever get to see Xerneas?"_

 _Her father chuckled. "Maybe, just maybe, my dear." With that, the male Squirrel Pokemon gently rose and continued the journey towards the tree, his wife, and daughter following close behind him._

Sylvia let out a massive yawn as she awoke from her pleasant dream. She opened her eyes, blinking rapidly as her body started to awaken. Slowly, she tried to push herself up, but then flopped back down, wincing in pain. _Oh shit,_ she thought. Abandoning her attempt to get up, she lay curled in her soft bed of… hay, she realized after a quick whiff. Gently, she tried to stretch her paws and her tail, trying to provide some comfort to her worn out body. _That fight was terrible,_ Sylvia thought to herself. An image of a zooming Crobat crashing into her tiny frame haunted her mind for a split second, before Sylvia shook her head to erase the thought from her mind. Slowly, she tilted her head upwards so that she could survey her surroundings. Much to her surprise, she found herself surrounded by tall walls of stone in a spacious room, which seemed to have been manually hollowed out. The walls curved upwards and connected with a flat ceiling, where a large glowing orb shone brightly.

This immediately caught her attention. She watched with fascination as the glowing orb seem to pulsate with light. _Oh, wait…_ she thought sheepishly as she realized what the sphere was. _That's one of those light bulbs._ She had seen plenty of those back in the circus, albeit a little different in shape. The ones she was used to where large flashing multicolored ones, or the huge lights that trailed the performers when they were doing a daring act.

She let out a weary sigh, thankful that she was alone. Had she voiced her concerns about, "the glowing orb," to her friends, she would have definitely been the target of their mockery for a long time. _I wonder where they found this kind of technology,_ Sylvia mused to herself.

Mustering some of her willpower, she tried pushing herself out of her makeshift bed once more. Despite her screaming muscles, Sylvia managed to get on her feet. With another heaving sigh, she began walking out of the room. The wall opposite to her had a large crescent-shaped opening in the shape of the door, easily large enough for Sebastian to pass through. She stepped through it and found herself in a very open room.

Towards the middle, there was a carpet striped in shades of red. On top of it lay several large, red sofas. They were placed so that they encircled the perimeter of the coloured carpet, creating a space perfect for group discussions or just lounging around. Situated in the middle of the carpet was a large table that was constructed of solid wood. A circular, disk-shaped device lay in the middle. Sylvia could see that it had the same glowing blue screen as Sebastian's holographic watch. She turned her head to the left, and found that the stone-grey wall was adorned with a multitude of hanging papers. They were attached to a large, brown board.

 _What in the hell is that?_ Sylvia thought. She walked up to the board and looked at all of the papers hanging on the brown wall. After close examination, she realized they had been stuck to the wall with small blobs of string. She looked over the papers but could decipher none of the strange symbols the seemed to adorn all of the thin sheets.

"I'll have to ask Sebastian about this too," Sylvia muttered to herself. Her attention spent, she turned to survey the rest of the spacious chamber. She quickly noticed that this room, unlike the smaller one she had just left, was far less bland. Multicoloured designs embroidered the walls and the ceiling. They swirled around, forming complex patterns that Sylvia could barely follow. She brushed her nose against one of the pieces and realized that this too was string. Sylvia immediately put two and two together. _Jessica,_ she thought. This could only be her handiwork, and Sylvia was thoroughly impressed. She thought about how hard it must have been for the Butterfly-Pokemon to convince her comrades to allow her to decorate the room, and inwardly chuckled.

The walls that surrounded the room each had wooden doors placed in the center of grey stone. There were seven doors in total, each one made of solid oak. Sylvia thought about peeking inside, but then she wouldn't want to intrude on someone's privacy. For a split second she wondered what Ophelia's room might look like. Was it plain and neat, or did the graceful Pokemon secretly have an inner girly-girl side? Before Sylvia could start to imagine what Sebastian's room looked like, one of the doors creaked open.

Sylvia panicked and thrust herself behind one of the sofas. Whatever came out of that door was ominously quiet. Sylvia was reminded of the Crobat's eerie silence, how it made no sound as it flew with deadly precision. It sent a chill down her spine.

"H-hello?" she nervously called. The Squirrel-Pokemon had already assumed that she was in her team's quarters, but her paranoia was not letting her take any chances. She knew from experience that even the tiniest of mistakes could cost one their life.

"Surrender," came a disparaging voice, "for you stand no chance against my might! Mu ha ha!"

Sylvia's tense body instantly relaxed, comforted by the familiarity of the mocking voice. Only Megan would try to tease her in a situation like this.

Sylvia walked out from behind the sofa and gave her comrade an evil glare. "That was _not_ funny, Megan."

The Meganium simply laughed, the effort causing the pink petals adorning her neck to shuffle back and forth.

"You've always been the biggest scaredy-Kitty I've ever known. I couldn't help it."

"Oh, _ha ha,_ " Sylvia replied. In her weary state, she was in no mood to deal with Megan's mirth.

"Where are we exactly? Is this the base you were talking about? And what are these papers? Does-"

Megan quickly cut off Sylvia's barrage of questions, "And there she goes again. Take cover everyone! Sylvia Squirrel Face has some questions she wants to be answered. Lord help us all!" She feigned an exasperated whimper, sending a playful sneer towards Sylvia, whose mouth hung open- mid-question. She raised her eyebrows, pairing them with an accusing glare that she sent towards the towering Meganium.

"Sorry, sorry. I'll stop,`" Megan said through a fit of terribly suppressed giggles. Sylvia gave her friend, who she would have liked nothing more than to blast with a faceful of electricity, a distrustful glance. "I promise."

After a few seconds, the Grass-type regained control of herself and then gestured for Sylvia to follow her. Megan plopped down on one of the sofas, letting her long neck lean back against the soft fabric. She loosed a relaxed sigh from her mouth and shifted her weight to get more comfortable. Sylvia was less eager and looked hesitantly at the eccentric furniture. "Oh please, it won't bite you," Megan said, rolling her eyes at her friend's precautionary behavior.

Sylvia shrugged her shoulders, her weariness winning over her survival instinct as she pounced onto a spot beside her comrade. Megan let loose another sigh, and fixed her gaze onto her forest friend. All the silliness was eradicated from her `face, and was instead with replaced with a calm and serious expression. Sylvia almost shuddered. She had forgotten how focused Megan was when she wanted to be. "So, to answer your first question, this is the Kalos headquarters of the Expedition Society. We have a quite a few Pokemon that come in and out, and others who live here. Although it's not officially so, this is considered the main HQ because Dorphius lives here. As you can tell, so do we," as she said this, Megan cast an amused glance at the vivid designs that were plastered along the walls.

`"So, how did you guys end up living in tunnels? Doesn't it get cramped in here?" Sylvia said. She could already feel herself missing the lush vegetation and tall trees of her forest home.

Megan gave her a sympathetic smile, "Yeah, to be honest, it is pretty tough to get used to. Especially for us, considering where we lived before. I mean, before I joined, I was surrounded by grass and trees, and greenery everywhere from dusk till dawn…" The Herb-Pokemon trailed off, undoubtedly reminiscing about a place very dear to her heart. She closed her eyes, almost as if she were forcing her mind to push her memories away, and turned her attention back to her friend.

"The first few weeks are always the hardest for new recruits" she continued, "after that, you don't really mind the tunnels. There are small holes in the dirt and rock that provide some ventilation and fresh air. We have air pockets that are specifically situated around HQ, and they ventilate via convection."

Sylvia gave Megan a baffled look. "I'm sorry, could you say that last part in English please?`"

Megan laughed, "Basically, we have ways of keeping cool. If it get's really hot, we gather some flying types and make them provide a little extra air."

"Ok, what about those lights? How do they stay on?" Sylvia asked, staring at the glowing sphere the illuminated the room.

"That's actually a really good question," Megan mused. "I don't know all of the specifics myself, but the caves have natural aquifers filled with water. When the Society first moved here, they found a way to use the kinetic energy of the moving water to create a hydroelectric plant." Noticing Sylvia's confused expression, she elaborated, "They found a way to make the water move, and that created electricity for the whole base to use. We do have other sources of power, but you'll find out about those later."

Sylvia could almost feel her brain hurting at having to store so much information. Why did this Society business have to be so complicated?

Sylvia sighed with exasperation. Gently, she let her head rest against the soft material of the sofa, and the two friends sat silently in one another's company. _What have I gotten myself into,_ she thought. _It's only been two days, and we've almost died twice._ Suddenly, Sylvia catapulted her head forward, grimacing at the pain. She turned to Megan, who had actually dozed off during the silence. She slapped her bushy tail against the Meganium's jaw, causing her eyelids to flick open in surprise.

"What do want," she said in a groan, turning her head to face the other way.

"You never told me how we escaped from those Poison-types!" she exclaimed. "How am I not dead?!" she suddenly cried out. She looked down at her body as if she was checking to see whether she was alive or. "Is this heaven?" Sylvia asked, her voice laced with concern and confusion.

Megan snorted obnoxiously, "Syl, please. If _this-"_ Megan gestured to the room with her head, "is what's waiting for us after death, then the universe is much crueler than I originally thought. No, you are _not_ dead. After you started falling from the tree and screaming like a pansy, Lily caught you."

Sylvia sheepishly pouted her lip, and gave an angered "Hmph!"

"I did _not_ scream like a pansy, I was yelling for help," Sylvia countered, albeit with blood red cheeks.

"Yeah," Megan retorted, very much awake now, "which you very obviously needed. Anyway, we managed to beat those creeps. Lily and Jessica ensnared two of them for interrogation, and we made our way to the base. You were knocked out cold, so Seb carried you on his back and Ophelia took care of our _guests,"_ Megan said the last word very icily, distaste and annoyance decorating her face.

Sylvia opened her mouth to ask about the interrogation, but just as the first word past through her lips, the door to her right creaked open. Ophelia walked out, gracefully stepping through the door.

"Will you two please be quieter," she said regally. She walked towards her conversing companions and side stepped the armrest of the red sofa. She seated herself opposite to Megan and Sylvia, and delicately crossed her legs. Her composure gave her an almost uncanny resemblance to a human woman.

"Nice to see you too, Phe-Phe," Megan grumbled. Sylvia could not help but giggle at Megan's greeting. Ophelia despised nicknames, "Phe-Phe" in particular being the one that pissed her off the most. The Herb-Pokemon was feeling particularly brave today.

As Sylvia expected, Megan's retort gained her nasty glare from Ophelia. However, the Psychic-type seemed too weary to act upon her annoyance, and instead shifted her weight backward and rested comfortably on the sofa.

"The interrogation has yet to begin," Ophelia said to Sylvia, the hint of irritation in her gaze causing her to shrink back in her seat. "I wanted to be sure that I was the one do to the task. It's a rather… delicate procedure and it requires immense precision. We wouldn't want to accidentally kill them, now would we?"

The casual tone with which she spoke the last sentence sent shivers down Sylvia's spine. Ophelia noticed her companions discomfort, and her features immediately softened. She gave Sylvia a compassionate gaze as she apologized.

"I am truly sorry, dear," she spoke, "We're all just very tired from our ordeal."

"You can say that again," Megan mumbled wearily.

Ophelia's Gaze lightened, and she abruptly catapulted herself into the air. "Enough sulking!" she exclaimed as if commanding herself to abandon her weariness. With long and graceful strides, she made her way to the five remaining doors and rapped loudly against each of them.

"It's time to wake-up!" She yelled with enthusiasm, "we have much to do today!"

When Ophelia finished her violent assault on the wooden doors, she stepped back and faced them with an expectant gaze. Much her dismay, none of the doors opened. After a minute of indignant pacing and scowls that Sylvia swore could have burned through the doors, Ophelia had endured enough.

She ceased her pacing, stood straight and proud and shrieked at the top of her lungs, "GET OUT OF YOUR BEDS, NOW!"

To Sylvia, Ophelia's loud shrieks had never really sounded shrill. They were commanding, yes, but the regality in here tone was accompanied by a kind of softness that Sylvia had once tried to imitate by incessantly yelling while perched high in a tree in her forest abode. She had thought that the thick foliage would absorb most of the noise, but that conjecture was quickly shattered when Sylvia was almost flung out of her perch by a swarm of Ledyba. Sylvia had just accepted that she would never carry the same tenderness in her voice as Ophelia did.

The Electric-types thoughts were interrupted by the creaking of one of the doors. Sylvia's eyes twinkled with humor as she watched Sebastian's muscular and weary form step out from behind the door. His eyes were a bit unfocused, but that still did not make him look any less wise or kind as he smiled a greeting to Sylvia.

"Well met Ophelia," he greeted, shifting his focus to the Psychic-type, who replied to his archaic greeting with a heavy sigh.

"You seem worse for wear," Ophelia commented, eyeing his yet to be focused gaze.

"Just a little early morning blues," he said with a smile, his features shifting into a good-humoured expression, "you know I've always had trouble getting out of bed."

Ophelia agreed with a soft chuckle. Eventually, the remaining group members reluctantly exited the comfort of their rooms and crowded the spacious chamber.

"Alright," Ophelia said, clapping her hand together like an excited Chansey, "we must get things in order. As you know, our circus charade is now officially over." As she said this, everyone's expression became quite dismal.

"Oh, will you please wipe whose depressive looks off of your faces! We must accept reality and move on. Besides, we have more pressing issues. For example, have any of you thought about Sylvia? We have to register her, and then prepare her for her exams-"

"Wait, what? Exams? You guys want me to join this…. Society?" Sylvia questioned.

"Well, duh," Valentina bluntly answered. "What, you thought that we brought you here so we could have a tea party?"

"Yeah, Syl, of course, we want you to join!" Arnold chimed in.

Everyone stared at her expectantly, and Sylvia almost had to force herself not to sink back. She almost wished she was back in the forest, brawling to her death against the venomous Crobat.

"Well… it's just that… you know it's kind of a lot to take in." she said quietly. "I mean I don't know anything about how you do what you do… and I don't know if I'm up for this." She felt a wave of anxiety and tension wash over her.

Sebastian gave her an encouraging smile, "Don't worry, my girl. Everyone feels nervous in the beginning. Trust me when I say that it only gets better. We were all in your position, once. Each one of us was filled with fear and doubt before we gave ourselves to this cause. We soon came to realize, as will you, that it was well worth it. You will experience things with us that you will see nowhere else."

Megan was about to say something, but Luvdisc urgently shushed her. Anything she said now would most definitely ruin the moment.

"I-I… I need time to think," Sylvia nervously stuttered.

"That's ok, Syl," Arnold said. His reassuring expression undid some of the tense knots in her stomach. "Take your time, it's not like we're going anywhere anytime soon."

"He has totally got a point," Jessica said, who, as of yet had been surprisingly silent, "Syl, honey, take your time. We got you gurl!"

Ophelia smiled at Sylvia, "Sorry about the pressure, darling. But you are right, you need time to gather yourself. But while you do so, let us show you around. Shall we?"

Ophelia motioned to another oak door, which Sylvia had missed in her original examination of the room, and started to make her way towards it. The others followed her as she gently opened the wooden door.

Sylvia could feel the knot in her stomach loosening. Demanding expectations and large groups of people had always given her near insurmountable stress. This was especially prevalent before any large circus performance. She had once tried to combat the anxiety by heeding Megan's advice. That had ended with Sylvia having a disturbing mental image of all of the audience members in their undergarments.

As the group made their way out of the chamber, Sylvia mustered up some strength and launched herself onto Megan's back.

"Hey!" Megan exclaimed, "would it kill you to walk?!"

"Actually, I think it might. I'm _dreadfully_ tired." Sylvia exasperatingly exclaimed, punctuating her sentence with a dramatic sigh. All her tension from before seemed to instantly vanish as she gave Megan a taunting smile.

Megan grumbled something about how easy it would be to smush Sylvia's tiny frame, and then trudged onwards, Squirrel-Pokemon in tow.

Sylvia stretched her body and made herself comfortable. The group had entered an enormous tunnel, which could have easily fit at least 10 Megan's across. Sylvia looked up to see large lamps plastered to the tops of the tunnels, providing a constant eerie glow. Sylvia turned her head to survey the rest tunnel and noticed some Pokemon walking by, their shadowing projected hauntingly upon the cave wall. A fearsome looking Mamoswine was trudging by them. It acknowledged Sylvia's curious glance with a deep, throaty grunt, causing her to abruptly shift her gaze with a suppressed yelp.

Up ahead, Sylvia noticed the thin green and white torso of a Gallade. It stood tall and proud, reminding Sylvia very much of Ophelia. She also noticed a smaller figure standing beside it, clutching the Gallade's hand. After closer inspection, she realized it was a small Ralts.

 _How cute,_ Sylvia thought.

As the Ralts noticed the group approaching, it burst forwards in a rush of giggles.

"Mama!" it yelled. Sylvia turned around, expecting to see an ecstatic mother racing to meet her child. But she quickly realized that there was no one behind them.

Right before her eyes, the Ralts jumped into Ophelia's outstretched arms, digging its face into her neck.

"Mommy, mommy, mommy!" It yelled. The Gallade strode forward, his lithe frame graceful as he stepped towards Ophelia and encased her in a tight embrace.

"Oh great," Megan mumbled, rolling her eyes. " _Oh darling, it's so lovely to see you again! It was simply dreadful not to be in your presence,"_ Megan snickered at her imitation of Ophelia, only to receive a nudge in the head from Lily.

"Don't be so rude, Megan," the Butterfree said, giving Megan a look of discontent. "I think they're cute."

Sylvia could hardly contain herself. "Oh my God," she muttered, almost manically, six years I've known you guys, _six years,_ and you couldn't have mentioned that Ophelia was a mother? No wonder she turned all those guys down! She was already taken, and a _freaking_ mother! I mean really. What's next? Are you even a Meganium?" Sylvia looked accusingly at Megan, who's jaw hung wide open, realizing her mistake. "I've always thought you look a bit like a deformed Tropius."

"Please understand Syl. We never really thought it was important-"

"YOU NEVER THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT" Sylvia repeated exasperatingly, cutting off Lily's vain attempt to console her. At this point, all of her friends were staring at her, wide-eyed and guilty, while the Gallade and Ralts seemed thoroughly confused. All of them, except for Megan.

"Excuse me?! You thought I looked like a _deformed Tropius?!_ You wanna fight?"

Megan and Sylvia locked themselves in an intense glare. Neither of them backed down, and Sylvia was tempted to attack when Lily and Jessica got in between them.

"Ok, like, seriously. Y'all need to stop. Maybe we should go to breakfast. The food there is probably totally delicious!" Jessica said.

Sylvia sighed, trying to calm down. All she could think of now was what else her friends had been hiding from her? Did they not tell Sylvia about Ophelia because they didn't trust her, or was it simply because they had just forgotten?

Whatever the reason, Sylvia could not shake off her feeling of hurt and anguish. She felt like the odd one out. Valentina and Lily both tried to console Sylvia again, but she simply shook them off.

"Let's just go," she said glumly, "I'm hungry"

Her friends reluctantly agreed to continue, and the group all made their way forward, Gallade and Ralts in tow.


End file.
